When Judith Hammer and her husband first bought their Starmount home nearly 30 years ago, it was everything they were looking for.

"A little bit of Tudor, a little bit of colonial,” said Hammer. “It's that mix of styles that make it charming and appealing."

But it wasn't long before Hammer longed for a more modern flow to the home's old world charm.

"Now that I look back it I think, 'Oh my God how did I have such an inadequate kitchen?’ It was very, very tiny."

So last year the two decided to renovate their home -- a growing trend in today's troubled housing market. They turned to a local architect and contractor Robin Yaun.

"A lot of homeowners, they love a house in an existing area, they love the area, but there are certain things they don't really like about the house,” said Yaun. “So by renovating, they accomplish whether it be a new kitchen, a new master bath, a master bedroom suite.”

In addition to a new kitchen, the couple revamped their laundry room and breakfast nook according to Yaun.

"You can do easy renovation like this on the low side of $30,000-40,000, but you can easily spend $100,000. It depends on granite counter tops, it depends on the cabinetry,” explained Yaun.

It’s a project Hammer says is well worth the roughly $70,000 price tag. But Yaun warns it's not for everyone.

"Renovation can get very expensive, and every once in a while you get a homeowner that prices themselves out of the neighborhood."

So before taking on a renovation project, Hammer cautions -- do your homework.